Dartmoor Prison

Dartmoor Prison,

English prison, at Princetown, Devonshire, built (1806–9) to house French captives during the Napoleonic Wars. During the War of 1812 many American prisoners were confined there, and their brutal mistreatment was investigated after the war by an Anglo-American commission that awarded compensation to the families of those who had died there. Between 1812 and 1816 about 1,500 American and French prisoners died in the prison and were buried in a field beyond the prison walls. Unoccupied for over 30 years, Dartmoor was reopened in 1850 as a civilian prison for convicts sentenced to long terms of imprisonment or to hard labor.

Bibliography

See A. J. Rhodes, ed., Dartmoor Prison; A Record of 126 Years of Prisoner of War and Convict Life, 1806–1932 (1933); T. Tullett, Inside Dartmoor (1966).

References in periodicals archive ?

He was released from Dartmoor Prison after four years of his sentence had passed, and given a train ticket back to Liverpool.

Did the punishment really fit the crime? A recent exhibition at the Metropolitan Cathedral told the life stories of criminals whose photos were featured in the ECHO in the 19th century, and how they got into trouble in the first place - which is mainly through poverty and need. Over the next two weeks, we re-tell their often tragic stories

The climb is pastoral and pleasant until you reach the outcrop of Haytor when the road plunges into Widecombe, home of Uncle Tom Cobley and All, before climbing on to the bleakest stretch from famous beauty spot Dartmeet to Two Bridges, with Dartmoor prison etched on the horizon.

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1809: Dartmoor Prison was opened to house French prisoners of war.

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One place where Len had a captive audience with his act was Dartmoor Prison but he doesn't say whether he gave any tips on how to escape to any of the inmates

Tom Jones chained me up on TV - recalls Len, Wales' Houdini; For all of the breaking news, like us on Facebook facebook.com/WalesOnline Send your memories and pictures to Brian Lee, Cardiff Remembered, South Wales Echo, Six Park Street, Cardiff, CF10 1XR or email brianlee4@virginmedia.com

Our front page told how Dartmoor prison warders were on high alert after a "squeaker" - or informer - said 12 inmates planned to shoot their way out using three hidden guns.

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1806: The foundation stone of Dartmoor prison in Devon was laid by Thomas Tyrwhitt.

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Eddie now enjoys a qui-eter life in a Saltburn retirement home, but after joining the army aged 19 he was in command of 60 convicts from Dartmoor Prison within a year, pulling people from burning buildings during the blitz.

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The prisoners rejected the offer during an incident in hot weather at Dartmoor prison in Devon on June 19.

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Even worse for Scots was to be sent the length of Britain to Dartmoor Prison, temporarily renamed Princetown Work Centre, with no hope of visits from family.

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Drawing on journals written by prisoners, as well as other sources, this work offers an account of the events that occurred during the War of 1812 and the incarceration of thousands of American and French prisoners-of-war in England's Dartmoor Prison.

Prisoners of war at Dartmoor; American and French soldiers and sailors in an English prison during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812

The actor depicted King Dick in Brown's Dartmoor Prison.

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One of the tastier titbits from the recent breakdown in Government costs is that we're shelling out close on a million smackers a year to rent Dartmoor Prison from HRH.